Body encircling garments



NV- 24, 1959 P. KELLNER ETAL 2,914,070

BonYENcIRcLING GARMENTS Filed Feb. 24, 1959 FIG FIG. 3

FIG. 5

INVENTORS /Ye/ner BY Marr/5 ///f 52ml am e Paw] TTRNEYS United States PatentO` BODY ENCIRCLING GARMENTS Paul Kellner, Hollis Hills, and Morris H. Block, Bronx, N.Y.; said Block assignor to said Kellner Application February 24, 1959, Serial No. 795,200

8 Claims. (Cl. 12S-558) The present invention relates to body encircling garments, and more specifically to cummerbunds.

According to the present invention, there has been provided a cummerbund having provision for selectively adjusting the size thereof so that it may be used throughout a range which covers substantially all useful sizes. In this way, a much smaller inventory of cummerbunds need be carried by a wholesale or retail store while still providing the variety of such garments normally required. This results in a great saving of storage space, handling costs, etc., without in any way increasing the cost of the garment.

The body encircling garment according to the invention comprises a main body portion adapted to cover the .abdominal part of the wearer, and having side portions extending longitudinally from the opposite sides of the main body part which terminate in hook members. The iside portions are foldable in overlapping relation with the inside surface of the garment, which is provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced slits. The hook members at each end of the side portions are engageable in selected ones of these slits, so that the overall length of the garment can be adjusted according to the particular size of the wearer. Complementary buckle parts are provided for securement to each other when the garment is worn by the wearer. p

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a body encircling garment having an improved and simplified construction.

Another object is the provision of a body encircling garment adjustable throughout the entire range of useful sizes.

Another object is the provision of a body encircling garment having hooks at opposite ends thereof, and having spaced slits along the inside surface thereof for releasable engagement with said hooks.

The above and other objects, features and advantages j of the present invention will be more fully understood from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.

-In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an 'elevation view of a garment according to the invention, in condition to be worn;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view thereof, on a larger scale;

Fig. v3 is a plan view of the strip used in the garment according to the invention', showing the various slits therein;

Fig. 4 is a view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2, on a larger scale; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary rview of the garment, with parts broken away, illustrating the details of Vconstruction of the garment.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, there is shown a garment according to the invention. As shown,

the garment 10 is a cummerbund of the type commonly used by men for formal wear. It will be understood that -the cummerbund 10 is shown merely for illustrative purposes and thatother body encircling garments can be constructed to incorporate the present invention.

Cummerbund 10 includes a main body portion `12 which is provided with transversely extending pleats 14, intermediate tapered portions 16 and 18 extending from the opposite sides of portion 12, and end portions 20 and 22 extending from intermediate portions 16 and 18, respectively. End portions 20 and 22 comprise a pair of uniform Width, relatively narrow bands, each of which terminates in an elastic strip 23 provided at the end thereof with a hook member 24.

The inside surface 26 of the cummerbund 10 is provided centrally and along the longitudinal extent thereof with a plurality of longitudinally extending and longitudinally spaced slits S for the insertion therein of hook members 24, to releasably secure the free ends of portions 20 and 22, respectively. The end portions 20 and 22 are looped through the apertures of complementary buckle parts 28 and 29, respectively, which are interconnecte when the cummerbund is worn by the wearer.

Slits S are each numbered, the middle slit being provided with the number 26, and the slit numbering increasing progressively in opposite directions from the middle slit up to and including 53 in each direction. The numbering of the slits corresponds to the effective size of the cummerbund when the hooks 24 are inserted in the slits. For example, if the wearer has a Waist size of 34, each hook member 24 is inserted in the slit bearing number 34 on the adjacent side and the resulting effective length of the cummerbund between the complementary buckle parts 28 and 26 will be the equivalent of a size 34. Half sizes may also be obtained by inserting the hook members in different numbered slits. For example, for a waist size of 321/2, one hook is inserted in the slit bearing number 32 and the other hook is inserted in the slit bearing number 33. The elastic strips 23 permits a suflicient amount of expansion or contraction of the. cummerbund while it is worn, so that the latter always ts snugly on the wearer.

From the above description it will be apparent that the cummerbund 10 according tothe invention is adjustable throughout a Wide range of sizes so that, for practical purposes, it can be adjusted to snugly fit any person.

Referring to Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5, thereis'shown a preferred construction of the cummerbund according to the invention. As shown, a longitudinally extending strip 30 (Fig. 3) having the slits S, interconnects transversely spaced portions 32 and 34, as along longitudinal lines of stitching 36 and 38, to form the inside surface 26 of the cummerbund. Strip 30 is preferably made of a stiffer or stronger fabric than that used for the rest of the cummerbund so that the slits S therein will be reinforced to prevent the tearing thereof. Inside surface 26 is secured to the outside surface 40 of the cummerbund as along longitudinal lines of stitching 42 and 44. The elastic strips 23 are secured in position between the inside and outside surface by means of transverse lines of stitching 46. A buttonholed elastic tab 48 may be provided along inside surface 26 and midway the ends thereof for securement to a corresponding button on the trousers of the wearer to anchor the cummerbund in position.

Thus it is seen that the present invention is eminently well suited to accomplish the objects of the invention, namely the provision of a body encircling garment of improved and simplified construction which is adjustable so as to substantially cover all useful sizes.

While we have shown and described the preferred embodiments of our invention, it-will be understood that various changes may be made in the idea or principles of the invention within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A cummerbund, comprising a main body portion adapted to cover the abdominal part of the body of the wearer, side portions extending longitudinally from the opposite sides, respectively, of said main body part and terminating in an elastic free end part, each of said side portions being foldable in overlapping relation with the inside surface of said garment, each of said side portions defining a bend when it is folded, said inside surface comprising transversely spaced upper and lower parts separated by a strip therebetween, said transversely spaced parts and said strip extending longitudinally for the entire extent of said garment, said strip being of a reinforced material and having a plurality of longitudinally spaced slits each of which is adapted to receive for releasable securement thereto complementary securing means provided at the free end part of each of said folded side portions whereby said `free end parts are releasably securable to said inside surface for selectively adjusting the effective overall longitudinal extent of the garment, and cooperating means at the bends of said folded side portions, respectively, for releasable securement to each other when said garment is on the wearer, said securing means at the free end part of each of said side portions comprising a hook member adapted to be releasably secured to said inside surface at a selected one of said slits, said cooperating means comprising complementary buckle parts having apertures in which said side portions, respectively, are inserted and with respect to which said buckle parts are movable toward the bends of said folds.

2. A body encircling garment, comprising a'main body portion, side portions extending longitudinally from the opposite sides, respectively, of said main body portion and terminating in a free end part, each of said side por- 'tions being foldable with its folded over part being in overlapping surface-to-surface contacting relation with the inside surface of said garment for the entire longitudinal extent of the folded over part, each of said side portions defining a bend when it is folded, means for releasably securing said free end part of each of said folded side portions to saidV inside surface at a selected one of a plurality of spaced points along said inside surface for selectively adjusting the effective overall longitudinal extent of the garment, and cooperating means at the bends of said folded side portions, respectively, for releasable securement to each other when said garment is on the wearer. l

3. A body encircling garment, comprising a main body portion, side portions extending longitudinally from the opposite sides, respectively, of said main body part and terminating in a free end part, each of said side portions being foldable with its folded over part being in overlapping surface-to-surface contacting relation with the inside surface of said garment for the entire longitudinal extent of the folded over part, each of said side portions defining a bend when it is folded, said inside surface being provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced parts each of which is adapted to receive for releasable securement thereto complementary securing means provided at the free end part of each of said folded side portions whereby said free end parts are releasably securable to said inside surface for selectively adjusting the effective overall longitudinal extent of the garment, and cooperating means at the bends of said folded side portions, respectively, for releasable securement to each other when said garment is on the wearer.

4. A body encircling garment, comprising a main body portion, side portions extending longitudinally from the opposite sides, respectively, of said main body part and terminating in a free end part, each of said side portions being foldable with its folded over part being in overlapping surface-to-surface contacting relation with the inside surface of said garment for the entire longitudinal extent of the folded over part, each of said side portions defining a bend when it is folded, said inside surface being provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced parts each of which is adapted to receive for releasable SCl1r ment thereto complementary securing means provided at the free end part of each of said folded side portions whereby said free end parts are releasably securable to said inside surface for selectively adjusting the effective overall longitudinal extent of the garment, and cooperating means at the bends of said folded side portions, respectively, for releasable securement to each other when said garment is on the wearer, said securing means at the free end part of each of said side portions comprising a hook member and said spaced parts at the inside surface comprising longitudinally extending slits for receiving said hook members.

5. A body encircling garment, comprising a main body portion, side portions extending longitudinally from the opposite sides, respectively, of said main body part and terminating in a free end part, each of said side portions being foldable with its folded over part being in overlapping surface-to-surface contacting relation with the inside surface of said garment for the 4entire longitudinal extent of the folded over part, each of said side portions defining a bend when it is folded, means for releasably securing said free end part of each of said folded side portions to said inside surface at a selected one of a plurality of spaced points along said inside surface for selectively adjusting the effective overall longitudinal extent of the garment, and complementary buckle parts having apertures in which said side portions, respectively, are inserted and with respect to which said buckle parts are movable toward the bends 'of said folds, for releasable securement to each other when said garment is on the wearer.

6. A body encircling garment, comprising a main body portion, side portions extending longitudinally from the opposite sides, respectively, of said main body part and terminating in a Yfree end part, each of said side portions being foldable with its folded over part being in overlapping surface-to-surface contacting relation with the Vinside surface of said garment for Athe entire longitudinal extent of the folded over part, each of said side portions defining a bend when it is folded, said inside surface being provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced parts each of which is adapted to receive for releasable securement thereto complementary securing means provided at the free end part of each of said folded side portions whereby said free end parts are releasably securable to said inside surface for selectively adjusting the effective overall longitudinal extent of the garment, said securing means at the free end part of each of said side portions comprising a hook member and said spaced parts at the inside surface comprising longitudinally extending slits for receiving said hook members, and complementary buckle parts having apertures in which 'said'side portions, respectively, are inserted and with respect to which said buckle parts are movable toward'the bends of said folds, for releasable securement to each other when said 'garment is on the wearer.

7. A body encircling garment, comprising a main body portion, side portions extending longitudinally from the opposite sides, respectively, of said main body part and terminating in a free end part, each of said side portions being foldable with its folded'over 'part being in overlapping surface-to-surface contacting relation with the inside surface of said garment for the entire longitudinal extent of the 'folded over part, each of said side portions defining a bend when it is folded, said inside surface comprising transversely spaced upper and lower parts separated by a strip therebetween, said transversely spaced parts and said strip extending longitudinally for the entire extent of said garment, said strip being of a reinforced material and having a plurality of longitudinally spaced slits each of which is adapted to receive for releasable securement thereto complementary securing means provided at the free end part of each of said folded side portions whereby said free end parts are releasably securable to said inside Asurface for Selectively 'adjusting the effective ,i overall longitudinal extent of the garment, and cooperating means at the bends of said folded side portions, respectively, for releasable securement to each other when said garment is on the wearer.

8. A body encircling garment, comprising a main body portion, side portions extending longitudinally from the opposite sides, respectively, of said main body part and terminating in a free end part, each of said side portions being foldable with its -folded over part being in overlapping surface-to-surface contacting relation with the inside surface of said garment for the entire longitudinal extent of the folded over part, each of said side portions defining a bend when it is folded, said inside surface comprising transversely spaced upper and lower parts separated by a strip therebetween, said transversely spaced parts and said strip extending longitudinally for the entire extent of said garment, said strip being of a reinforced material and having a plurality of longitudinally spaced slits each of which is adapted to receive for releasable securement thereto complementary securing means provided at the free end part of each of said folded side portions whereby said free end parts are releasably securable to said inside surface for selectively adjusting the effective overall longitudinal extent of the garment, and cooperating means at the bends of said folded side portions, respectively, for rcleasable securement to each other when said garment is on the wearer, said securing lmeans at the free end part of each of said side portions comprising a hook member adapted to be releasably secured to said inside surface at a selected one of said slits.

References Cited in the lile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

